Why give blood with colleagues?
Give blood with your colleagues effortlessly through our corporate donation programme. Organise a corporate appointment at your regional donor centre in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow, Edinburgh or Inverness. We welcome block bookings, making it convenient for local workforces to donate together at a time that suits everyone.
Organising is simple – we’ll coordinate specific time slots for your employees and ensure there are plenty of refreshments afterwards – including the famous teacakes. Our promise to you includes:
- Each donation can save or improve the lives of up to three patients in Scotland.
- A dedicated SNBTS team member will address your queries or requests.
- We offer promotional support and can provide talks on blood donation before booking appointments.
- We aim for donations to take no longer than one hour, with exceptions.
- Your employees will be treated with respect and care by our colleagues.
- Post-event feedback and group donation images for your organiser, along with the number of donors, will be provided. We’re also happy to share images on our social media channels.
Organising a workplace booking
To organise a workplace booking, our blood collection programme relies on the commitment of group coordinators. Planning well in advance, we depend on approximately 450 voluntary daily donations across Scotland to supply hospitals.
For successful workplace sessions, a committed coordinator ensures donors are motivated, registered correctly, complete pre-screening, and attend appointments.
Looking ahead to 2024/25, we aim to reintroduce small 2 or 4-bed workplace sessions, requiring a large, accessible room (ideally on the ground floor) with 500-1000 employees participating to achieve target donation numbers (around 55-60). Hybrid working patterns pose concerns, necessitating a significant portion of the workforce to be on-site.
Apart from our permanent donor centres, we attend numerous community sessions yearly. Workplace support is crucial for local sessions’ success, whether at donor centres, community sessions, or through corporate bookings.
Your involvement ensures safe blood levels for hospitals in Scotland and plays a vital part in supporting patients in Scotland.
“It’s created a real buzz around the office, and it’s brought the team together even more. Knowing that every donation is split into three separate parts and the difference we’ve made to so many patients on one Friday afternoon is amazing.”
Norma Strachan, Occupational Health Nurse, Ross-shire Engineering
Giving blood at a donor centre or community session
When organising a workplace booking at a Donor Centre or community session, you have two options:
Option 1: Each donor is responsible for booking their own appointment at their convenience. For this option we recommend registering for an online donor account on our Scotblood website. Through this account, donors can easily schedule, cancel, or reschedule appointments. Alternatively, appointments can be booked by calling 0345 90 90 999.
Option 2: For a more centralised approach, a single organiser or coordinator can manage the appointments. We can reserve the needed slots on your chosen day and times (subject to availability). It is advisable to book at least 2-3 weeks in advance for better appointment options. We’ll provide a booking form for you to complete with donors’ details (name and DOB) alongside their allocated appointment time. Please make sure to check for GDPR implications and let us know if alternative data transfer methods are needed.
We encourage all potential donors to check their eligibility before booking by visiting our ‘Can I Give Blood’ page on the Scotblood website.
“I had registered as a blood donor a while ago but just didn’t get round to making an appointment. When the opportunity came to give blood with colleagues it was the perfect option. I didn’t really know what to expect but all the staff were really informative and put me at ease. I’d encourage everyone to do it.”
New donor Ross McDonald, Spirit Energy
Become a plasma donor
This year SNBTS aims to increase the number of plasma donors in Scotland so we can start manufacturing Plasma for Medicines. These products are very important for Scotland’s patients. Over the year we aim to increase our plasma donor base to around 1,000 people, and we would love for members from the corporate community to join us.
What is plasma?
Plasma is the clear, straw-coloured liquid portion of blood that remains after red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are removed. Plasma makes up 55% of human blood and is the single largest component. It contains antibodies, also known as immunoglobulins. It also contains water and proteins called clotting factors, which stop bleeding.
Plasma can be used to make a variety of life-saving products and medicines. These currently include:
- Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP): FFP is produced by quickly freezing plasma donations to preserve their clotting factors. It can be used to treat patients with major bleeding or who have low levels of certain clotting factors.
- Cryoprecipitate (Cryo): Cryo is a blood product prepared from fresh frozen plasma. It is used to treat patients with bleeding and liver disorders.
For more information on becoming a plasma donor and providing this life saving treatment, please read our Plasma Enrolment Leaflet.
Top tips for donating
Before donation:
- Stay hydrated. Drink at least three glasses of water in the three hours leading up to your donation. Additionally, have another 500ml drink of water while you wait.
- Eat a salty snack. Stick to your regular meal schedule, but if it’s been more than three hours since your last meal and you’re about to donate, consider having a savoury or salty snack.
- Wear comfortable clothing. Opt for loose, comfortable clothing, especially with sleeves that can be easily rolled up, as donations are collected from a vein on the inside of your elbow.
After donation
- Treat yourself. Regulate your blood sugar by indulging in a treat after donation. Avoid strenuous or hazardous activities, prolonged standing, and hot baths.
- Caution with alcohol and smoking. Refrain from excess alcohol consumption. If you’re a smoker, it’s advisable to wait for the first two hours after donation before having a cigarette.
Remember, these tips contribute to a smoother donation process and help ensure your well-being after giving blood. For more information please read our Donor Information Leaflet.
Contact us
We can’t wait to welcome you to give blood and hope you will help us in continuing to support Scotland’s patients. The SNBTS recruitment and publicity team are based in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness and will work with you to ensure a successfulpartnership. We look forward to hearing from you.
NATL 443 01 Published May 2024
Telephone: 0345 90 90 999
Email: nss.snbtsenquiry@nhs.scot
Web: scotblood.co.uk
Facebook: givebloodforscotland
X: @givebloodscot
Instagram: givebloodscotland
This publication can be made available in large print, braille (English only), audio tape and different languages. Please contact nss.equalitydiversity@nhs.scot for further information.